In our opinion, social organisations should have the same opportunities to operate in Europe as profit-making entities in the single European market. That is why, together with more than 250 organisations from across Europe, we supported a letter to the European Commission this week. It calls on the Commission to reverse its decision and continue work on the directive establishing European Cross-Border Associations (ECBAs).
Why is this solution important? Because it would make it easier for European organisations to operate across Member State borders, providing access to basic services, building social resilience and counteracting natural or health crises, enabling access to culture and cooperation between local communities. The ECBA would relieve the burden on entities involved in all these activities, helping them to overcome the numerous legal and administrative obstacles they currently face. As a result, it would encourage increased activity and the creation of new organisations and jobs. In our opinion, it would also be important to symbolically recognise all this work and give an additional boost to the development of European civil society. It is not too late for the Commission to change its decision!
